Canada's flag is not on the Paris MoU's Black List or Grey List; but then again the flag is not on the White List either. The lists are issued by the Paris MoU, a group of 27 nations banding together to inspect 24,000 ships last year, in hopes of reducing substandard and dangerous ships.

Most of us seafarers know these inspections as Port State Control (PSC) inspections, and they are a tribute to various nations' faltering efforts to assure minimum standards of quality on the ship flying their nation's flag.

Despite 181 Canadian flagged ships, and another 225 ships owned by Canadian entities, Canada is not a resident on any coloured list, due to lack of representation in the participating PSC port's. A flag state needs 30 inspection in 3 years to make it into the ranking scheme.

North American media darling, Iran, has actually moved up to the White List, leaving Kazakhstan just above the USA on the Grey List. While India has also fallen into the Grey list form a previous White List standing.

What do these lists mean to us lowly seafarers? It means that if you are on a ship flying the flag of Germany, currently at the top of the White List, you can probably have a bit of shore leave on your next port call, since the PSC inspector will be less likely to target your ship.

The targeting of ships for inspection is based on experience; German ships have consistently had less defect findings than any other, so why waste precious inspection resources on these ships. A high ranking would suggest a superior attitude towards safety and operational standards, by those shipowners and operators who fly the German flag. Kudos to them !

You can find the various year's lists here, from the Paris MoU website. The most recent list was issued last week, click here to view the press release, and here for a bit more backgrounds on the lists.

MV Friendship is a good example of whats been "caught in the net". Transport Canada targeted this ship for Port State Control inspection, while on a port call in Halifax. The Maltese flagged, Greek owned vessel had a cargo of nickel aboard, and was classed by Germanischer Lloyd. Check out this beauty - from a white list flag, from a "high performance" RO (Class) - just imagine the Grey and Black Lists flags.